by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools in Florida to determine which ones were the best for special education students pursuing a master's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 572 master's degrees in special education to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The special ed master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality special ed program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we include a school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a host of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their master's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their master's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for special education students working on their master's degree.
The special ed school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Special Education Master's Degree Schools in Florida.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in special education.
University of Florida is a good choice for individuals pursuing a master's degree in special education. UF is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Gainesville.
Soon after graduation, special ed master's recipients typically make around $51,147 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a master’s in special education from University of Florida
It's hard to beat The University of West Florida if you wish to pursue a master's degree in special education. UWF is a large public university located in the rural area of Pensacola.
Soon after graduating, special ed master's recipients usually earn about $56,136 in their early careers.
More information about a master’s in special education from The University of West Florida
University of South Florida - Main Campus is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a master's degree in special education. Located in the city of Tampa, USF Tampa is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the special ed program earn around $52,101 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a master’s in special education from University of South Florida - Main Campus
University of Central Florida is a great choice for individuals interested in a master's degree in special education. Located in the large suburb of Orlando, UCF is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Those special education students who get their master's degree from University of Central Florida make $3,492 more than the typical special ed grad.
More information about a master’s in special education from University of Central Florida
Located in the suburb of Miami, FIU is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Master's recipients from the special education degree program at Florida International University earn $6,576 above the typical college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
More information about a master’s in special education from Florida International University
Located in the suburb of Fort Myers, FGCU is a public university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in special education from Florida Gulf Coast University
UNF is a large public university located in the city of Jacksonville.
After graduation, special ed master's recipients usually make around $55,333 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a master’s in special education from University of North Florida
Located in the medium-sized city of Lakeland, SEU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.
Students who graduate with their master's from the special ed program state that they receive average early career earnings of $39,595.
More information about a master’s in special education from Southeastern UniversityExplore all the Best Special Education Schools in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 190 | 265 |
| Virginia | 182 | 863 |
| North Carolina | 178 | 83 |
| Tennessee | 166 | 127 |
| Alabama | 151 | 210 |
| Kentucky | 147 | 391 |
| Louisiana | 147 | 47 |
| South Carolina | 146 | 102 |
| Mississippi | 145 | 216 |
| Arkansas | 121 | 227 |
| West Virginia | 112 | 41 |
One of 14 majors within the Education area of study, Special Education has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Educational Administration | 1,128 |
| Curriculum & Instruction | 603 |
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | 465 |
| Student Counseling | 379 |
| Instructional Media Design | 320 |
| Teacher Education Grade Specific | 233 |
| General Education | 49 |
| Teaching English or French | 37 |
| Educational Assessment | 10 |
| International Education | 5 |
